1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to a tamper indicating package and to a molded plastic closure for use in such package. More particularly, this invention relates to a tamper indicating package for the packaging of a carbonated beverage, and to a venting molded plastic closure for such a package.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
Various prior art references, including U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,437 (T. W. Gray et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,844 (M. A. Lininger), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,052 (J. L. Gregory et al.), each of which is assigned to the assignee of this application, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,227 (H. T. Pehr) disclose packages with molded plastic closures. Each of the molded plastic closures of these references includes a portion or portions that is or are visibly and irreparably damaged upon the first removal or attempted removal of the closure from the associated container to provide a visible indication of such removal or attempted removal, as a way of providing an indication of any prior tampering with the contents of the container. In each of the above-identified prior art references, the portion of the closure that is visibly and irreparably damaged upon the first removal or attempted removal of the closure from the associated container is located at or near the bottom of the skirt portion of such closure. Thus, in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,437, the closure includes a separate band, a portion of which engages a flange on the associated container, and another portion of which engages the lower portion of the annular skirt of the closure. Upon the removal of the closure by an unscrewing action, the separate band separates from the closure to provide the requisite indication of the removal or the attempted removal of the closure. In the above-identified U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,844, the annular skirt of the closure has an annular tamper indicating band integrally attached to the lowermost edge thereof by means of a plurality of frangible bridges, and the band has a plurality of inwardly and upwardly extending tabs that engage the underside of an annular flange on the neck of the container to prevent the removal of the annular band with the closure. The removal of the closure results in the fracture of the frangible bridges and, thereby, the separation of the annular band from the closure. In the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,227, the closure is provided with spaced apart inwardly and upwardly extending tabs near the bottom of the annular skirt of the closure, which tabs, themselves, are disengaged from the closure upon the removal or attempted removal of the closure from the container. In each of the aforesaid prior art closures, the portion or portions of the closure that separate from the remaining portion of the closure upon the removal or attempted removal of the closure are located at or near the bottom of the annular skirt of the closure, and this feature is somewhat objectionable because of the fact that it is difficult to maintain the required tolerances and sharp radii in the portion or the portions of the finish of the associated container which engage such portion or portions of the closure, particularly in the case of a glass container, at the required distances of such portion or portions of the closure from the rim of the container Further, in the case of a closure that is intended for the use in the packaging of a carbonated beverage product, it is desirable to provide venting passages within the closure to augment the depressurization of the headspace of the container upon the removal of the closure, as a way to prevent misseling of the closure from the container during removal, as is explained in U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,126 (E. M. Ostrowsky). For simplicity of construction, it is desirable to integrate the headspace venting passages of the closure with the tamper indicating features of the closure, and, thus, it is desirable to provide the tamper indicating features of the closure at or near the top of the closure, rather than at or near the bottom of the closure, to shorten the flow path for the gases from the headspace of the container through the venting passages of the closure, and to thereby accelerate the venting phenomenon.